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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29759823">Don't Thank Me Just Yet</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinefree/pseuds/pinefree'>pinefree</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Hercules (1997)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 23:42:44</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>822</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29759823</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinefree/pseuds/pinefree</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>My own version of how Meg comes to work for Hades. Sort of a "warm-up" for writing for this ship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hades/Megara (Disney: Hercules)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Don't Thank Me Just Yet</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Trips to the mortal world were scarcely this fruitful.</p><p>He had felt a calling to Earth, which was rare in and of itself. Humans rarely wanted to face death head-on, which was just fine with Hades, as their petty drama usually turned from amusing to annoying quickly. It had sounded like a woman’s voice asking for him, which intrigued him. Though his brothers ruled their kingdoms with wives (and plenty of women on the side), Hades had resigned himself to a life of solitude. A feminine presence, wherever he could find it, was always a pleasant thing.</p><p>Before revealing himself, he observed the situation from a distance. A man lay dying in his bed, and a beautiful young woman with tear stained cheeks held his hand in her lap. She beseeched the Lord of the Dead to prevent her lover's inevitable death, no doubt. While the man was pale and weak, her youth, beauty, and even sadness were a stark contrast beside him, and Hades was drawn to it. Anything to make him feel more alive was a welcome change after being surrounded by stiffs for eons.</p><p>Don’t be distracted, he told himself. This is purely business.</p><p>Even still, business can be fun too...</p><p>“You called…?” he purred quietly next to her ear, running a smoky tendril along her cheek. She gave a sharp gasp before jumping to her feet, holding a hand to her mouth.</p><p>“You came. Oh Gods, I didn’t actually think you would…” she choked out, her voice thick with emotion. She was shaking ever so slightly.</p><p>“And let down a pretty little thing like yourself? Not a chance, babe. What can I do for you?” He manifested himself in front of her, and it was apparent how petite she really was in comparison to his huge and imposing form. How easily he could overwhelm her.</p><p>She took him in for a moment before words came. She looked over to the man, whose breath had become unnervingly shallow. </p><p>“He’s dying. Can you save him?” She looked the God in the eyes, pleading. Hades couldn’t help but enjoy how helpless she was, how desperate she was for him to say yes. The power he held over her was delectable. The idea of owning her completely and endlessly was delicious in his mind. And though he would never admit it, the thought of pleasing her, of fulfilling her whims and desires was attractive in its own way. He was already here, may as well use it to his advantage...</p><p>“I can. But I’ll need something of yours in return. A life for a life, as it were.” He said this nonchalantly, leaning in closer. </p><p>She turned from him, kneeling beside the bed of her beloved. The tears resumed as she realized the magnitude of his words. “So you’re saying that I’ll…” Her heart raced, but she tried to maintain her composure before the God.</p><p>Bingo. He came up behind her, placing hands on her shoulders gently. She flinched at his touch at first, but yielded quickly. “Not necessarily… I may be able to bend a little bit.” As the offer came together in his mind, a smile crossed his face. Too easy. </p><p>“If you sell your soul to me for, gee, I don’t know, twenty years of service, he will live.” She turned her head back to look at him. He gave her his most convincing smile. “You’ll still be alive, free to roam around up here as you please, but I will call on you here and there for…assistance.” </p><p>She stood, casting his hands off her shoulders. “Assistance? What could a God possibly need help with from a mortal?” Her eyes narrowed and her arms crossed in front of her chest, one of her ample hips jutting out to one side. Gods, her body was a thing of beauty.</p><p>“Oh, this and that… think of it as a little part time job, a pet project,” he said casually, his pace of speech quickening. "You’ll have your happy little life with Mr. Olympia over here, and you’ll help me out every once in a while. I’ll even give you every other Sunday off. Have we got a deal?” He held out his hand to her.</p><p>She took a deep breath, and cast a look back at the man she loved. He couldn’t hold on much longer. This was the only way. Bravely, she met Hades’ gaze, and placed her small hand in his. “Deal.”</p><p>He grinned, grasping her fingers gently, then placing a kiss to the back of her hand. “Good choice.” He vanished in a cloud of smoke, blowing over her boyfriend. The color returned to his face, and he gasped deeply. Meg threw herself onto him in delight, wrapping her arms around his neck. </p><p>“Thank you Hades…” she mumbled into his chest, clinging to him tightly. </p><p>“Don’t thank me just yet, sweetheart,” A voice whispered in her ear.</p>
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